Demon Slayer is not just another amazing anime series, it is one of the most popular in the entire world. Even people who would not call themselves an anime fan have found enjoyment in Demon Slayer, and it is widely regarded as an excellent "starter anime," for those unsure where to begin when first immersing themselves in the entertainment medium.
The To the Hashira Training arc, which was the last anime arc to air before the series' final chapters, ended June 30, 2024. Since the Infinity Castle movie trilogy is not slated to begin until fall 2025, many fans are now deciding what to watch to hold them over until the movie's release. Look no further, because these ten anime series may not be exactly like Demon Slayer, but contain enough of the series' best attributes to delight any Demon Slayer fan.
10 Jujutsu Kaisen
Based on the Original Manga By Gege Akutami, Animated By MAPPA
Jujutsu Kaisen is another extremely well-liked shonen series with a surprising number of similarities to Demon Slayer. Jujutsu Kaisen's protagonist, Yuji Itadori, is a high schooler who was pushed into a life of fighting and chaos due to an unfortunate circumstance in his life. This is almost identical to Tanjiro's story in Demon Slayer, as they were both average people forced to step up and become heroes.
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Jujutsu Kaisen is battle-heavy and anyone who is a fan of the clashes between demon slayers and demons will enjoy the similar fights between jujutsu sorcerers and cursed spirits. Themes of good vs. evil are also at the forefront of both Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, and both animes add much-needed comic relief between darker battles.
9 Bleach
Based on the Original Manga By Tite Kubo, Animated By Studio Pierrot
Bleach is yet another shonen that follows a high school male protagonist with extraordinary powers, a concept Demon Slayer fans will find pleasantly familiar. Ichigo Kurosaki, the main character, battles spirits called Hollows using his soul reaper powers. Both Ichigo and Tanjiro save their respective worlds from evil creatures, so fans who ire Tanjiro's commitment to protecting humanity will likely appreciate Ichigo's similar resolve.
Bleach is adventurous and action-packed, taking the simple concept of ghosts and turning this idea into a full-fledged dark fantasy tale. The series' battles are some of the best fights in anime, as characters team up to defeat evil. The Shinigami, who devote their lives to defeating Hollows, are also quite similar to Demon Slayer's Hashira organization.
8 Hell’s Paradise
Based on the Original Manga By Yuji Kaku, Animated By MAPPA
Demon Slayer, following Gabimaru the Hollow, a shinobi sentenced to death. In order to fight for his freedom, Gabimaru has to venture onto a dangerous island to search for the Elixir of Life. Finding this Elixir of Life is the only way for Gabimaru to save his life and reunite with his wife, so much is at stake for him.
From the characters' intense battles with various monstrous beasts on the island of Shinsenkyo to Gabimaru's laser focus on his goal of seeing his wife again, many elements of Hell's Paradise are reminiscent of Demon Slayer. Tanjiro is absolutely committed to one primary goal too: saving Nezuko, and to accomplish this aim, he must fight terrifying creatures as well.
7 Hunter x Hunter
Based on the Original Manga By Yoshihiro Togashi, Animated By Nippon Animation and Madhouse
Hunter x Hunter's Hunters and Demon Slayer's demon slayers feel quite similar, as both of these career paths involve ing a difficult test and honing certain powers and skills that most people do not possess. While watching Gon Freecss prepare for his Hunter Exam, viewers will be reminded of Tanjiro's difficult and lengthy quest while he was practicing for the Final Selection to become a demon slayer.
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Friendship and fighting alongside trusted allies are major themes in both Hunter x Hunter and Demon Slayer. In both animes, the characters realize that life's most difficult battles are much easier to succeed in when working with others, rather than going it alone. Tanjiro is a skilled hero in his own right, but even better with his comrades, and Gon comes to this same realization in Hunter x Hunter.
6 Tokyo Ghoul
Based on the Original Manga By Sui Ishida, Animated By Studio Pierrot
Tokyo Ghoul's ghouls are disturbingly similar to Demon Slayer's demons in a number of ways. Ghouls and demons both feed on human flesh. In both worlds, ordinary humans resist against these creatures, who would love nothing more than to eat them whole, creating a dangerous life for humanity.
Anyone who was intrigued by Demon Slayer's plot that followed a world overrun by man-eating demons will be fascinated by the similar story that Tokyo Ghoul has created, with ghouls who make living in Tokyo terrifyingly risky, since it is tough to tell humans and ghouls apart at first glance. Although there are differences between the two series, the main plot of beasts who eat humans is shared by both Tokyo Ghoul and Demon Slayer, meaning viewers who liked one will likely enjoy the other as well.
5 Chainsaw Man
Based on the Original Manga By Tatsuki Fujimoto, Animated By MAPPA
Chainsaw Man's protagonist, Denji, is an average teenager just like Tanjiro, but his life changed overnight when he unexpectedly developed powers. Denji was in a bad place before receiving these superpowered abilities, but after he learned to use them, he began fighting devils as a part of the Public Safety Devil Hunters organization.
Denji and Tanjiro are dissimilar in of their personalities and outlooks on life, but are still somewhat united by the common goal of triumphing over evil and using their unexpected new powers as best they can to make their world safer. Both Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man offer a look into the life of an average person with unimaginable power, and Chainsaw Man's war between humanity and devils is strikingly similar to Demon Slayer's war between humanity and demons.
4 Naruto
Based on the Original Manga By Masashi Kishimoto, Animated By Studio Pierrot
- Latest Film
- Boruto: Naruto the Movie
Naruto is a shonen anime classic, and one that Koyoharu Gotouge, becoming the Hokage of Hidden Leaf Village.
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Disappointingly, because Naruto has a fox demon inside him, he does receive backlash from villagers, causing him to work even harder towards his goal. Naruto prominently focuses on teamwork, hard work, and doing the right thing no matter what, which are all characteristics that Demon Slayer heavily values as well. Both animes also boast a colorful, inviting animation style, theatrical musical score, and numerous battle sequences, making Naruto a great pick for Demon Slayer fans.
3 Fullmetal Alchemist
Based on the Original Manga By Hiromu Arakawa, Animated By Bones
Fullmetal Alchemist's concentration on family bonds makes it an ideal choice for Demon Slayer fans. The story follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are on a quest to regain their bodies after losing them while trying to revive their mother. This concept of a tragedy within a family sparking the protagonist's journey to save their loved one is also present in Demon Slayer.
When Muzan killed Tanjiro's family and turned Nezuko into a demon, Tanjiro decided to become a demon slayer and work to restore Nezuko's humanity. In a similar vein, Edward and Alphonse work to restore each other's humanity, tracking down the Philosopher's Stone in the hopes of saving themselves and each other.
2 Soul Eater
Based on the Original Manga By Atsushi Ohkubo, Animated By Bones
Soul Eater is an excellent option for anyone who appreciates how well Demon Slayer balances humor with darker moments like deaths and fight scenes. Soul Eater's main characters are a group of students who attend a school called Death Weapon Meister Academy. At this academy, the students are working to level up their weapons to maximum power, but to do so, they have to each accrue one hundred souls total.
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The students' objective in Soul Eater is seemingly simple, but the characters face many difficulties along the way as they work together to collect souls. The team battles in Soul Eater are strikingly similar to Demon Slayer's fights, which incorporate many Hashira and demon slayers fighting together, and have that same feeling of teamwork and camaraderie that will resonate with Demon Slayer fans.
1 My Hero Academia
Based on the Original Manga By Kohei Horikoshi, Animated By Bones
- Movie(s)
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (2021)
- First Film
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
My Hero Academia is anime's best take on the classic superhero story, as protagonist Izuku Midoriya, better known as Deku, dedicates himself to becoming the number one Pro Hero, even though he was born without a Quirk superhero power. Deku's commitment to overcoming obstacles and pushing past his limits makes him an incredibly resilient and inspirational protagonist, similar to Tanjiro.
Both Demon Slayer are laugh-out-loud funny at one moment and will have fans sobbing at the next. Although My Hero Academia's world may not contain any demons, the series' villains are just as despicable, and heroes must work just as hard to defeat them as demon slayers do to defeat demons. Both My Hero Academia and Demon Slayer are easy to watch, telling simple but universally entertaining stories of good vs. evil where the good guys triumph in the end, making them feel inspirational and heartwarming.
